Pasta alla Vodka with Blackened Chicken

May I present to you my Pasta alla Vodka recipe! Now this is definitely one of those indulgent "treat yo self" dishes. It reminds me of creamy tomato basil soup but in sauce form, cut with vodka and mixed with fresh pasta. Yum. I made this dish last weekend when I had my parents over for dinner, and they took leftovers home with them AND asked me for my recipe. With my parents both being huge cooks I took this to mean I hit a home-run. 🙂 Jump to Recipe

What ingredients do I need for Pasta alla Vodka?

In my version of this Italian dish I use olive oil, crushed tomatoes, shallots, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, basil, Parmesan and blackened chicken along with the usual ingredients pasta and vodka.

What noodles should I use for Pasta alla Vodka?

Honestly, whatever kind you like! Penne is probably the most common. Depending on my mood, and how much time I have, I'll either use store bought or make my own. I have a super easy recipe for making homemade pasta linked below if you'd like to make your own:

Chicken Marsala

And I use this pasta attachment:

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/kitchenaid-gourmet-pasta-press-attachment/

The next step is making your chicken. If you prefer your pasta without meat or are vegetarian, simply omit and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. If you do add chicken though, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Start by seasoning your chicken breasts with a blackening seasoning and pepper. Pan sear for about four minutes per side in a little olive oil over medium heat. Bake your chicken for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Let cool then slice into bite-sized pieces.

Add a little more oil to your skillet and once heated add your shallots and garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes until tender.

Next, add vodka. It will sizzle and then reduce the liquid by half (about 3 minutes). Add your crushed tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer. While your sauce is cooking prepare your pasta according to package directions or if using fresh simply boil for a few minutes.

Once you've drained your pasta, turn off the heat on your sauce and stir in the cream. Then mix in pasta and fresh basil and fresh Parmesan.

And that's it! The addition of fresh basil really makes this dish in my opinion.

What does the vodka do?

The vodka does an outstanding job of cohesively mixing together the tomato sauce with the cream and really balances out the flavor.

I love to pair it with a Pinot Nior or Spanish red. And leftovers heat up great. Just store in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!

If you like this dish you might also enjoy:

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

https://www.cuisineandcocktails.com/handmade-gnocchi-with-bolognese-sauce/

Pasta alla Vodka with Blackened Chicken

Deliciously indulgent creamy vodka sauce with fresh basil mixed with pasta and blackened chicken.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon blackening season
• salt & pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 1 shallot diced
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 15 fresh basil leaves torn
• ⅓ cup fresh Parmesan
• 16 oz pasta homemade (instructions in post) or store bought

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Season chicken with blackening season, salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook chicken 3 minutes per side. Then place in a baking dish and cook in oven for 10 more or until no longer pink. Once cooked allow to cool then cut into strips for use later.
5. Add other tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over low-medium heat.
6. Saute shallot for 3 minutes.
7. Add garlic and saute two more.
8. Add vodka and reduce by half.
9. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to boil. Season with some salt and pepper. Reduce to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
10. Prepare pasta while sauce is cooking. Drain and set aside.
11. Stir cream into sauce and stir occasionally for a couple minutes. Turn off heat.
12. Add pasta to sauce along with fresh basil and fresh Parm. Adjust salt & pepper.
13. Add chicken.
14. Top with more fresh Parm when serving.